1. Field of the Invention
The present lnvention relates to a temperature sensor for use for a heat-cooking apparatus such as a gas cooking stove.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The heat-cooking apparatus for heating and cooking with a pan or the like using heating power such as gas used for cooking food will be described herein.
In such a heat-cooking apparatus, a heating power control means is generally provided for manually controlling an amount of the heating power by, for example, varying amount of combustion gas. Further, such means is known which can maintain a preferable cooking temperature by controlling the heating power with such a feedback system a temperature of an object to be heated (e.g., a pan), and the temperature signal is either supplied to a control apparatus, or stops the combustion when a predetermined critical temperature of the object to be heated is sensed.
In such a heat-cooking apparatus having the temperature control system, a temperature sensor 100 as shown in FIG. 1, for sensing the temperature of the object to be heated is particularly significant. Such conventional temperature sensor 100 comprises a main body 100a and a casing 100b which covers the main body 100a and is disposed at a center of a gas burner, wherein a top surface 100c of the temperature sensor 100 can contact a bottom surface of the cooking pan to directly sense the temperature of the cooking pan when the cooking pan is set on the gas burner.
There is a gap 101 which is exposed against the bottom surface of the cooking pan, between the main body 100a and the casing 100b. Further, the lowest end 100d of the casing 100b is bent in a lateral direction. As a result of such constitution of the temperature sensor 100, an overflow of, for example soup from the cooking pan or dropping of oil or some other cooked material can enter into the inner space of the temperature sensor 100 from the gap 101 or the lowest end 100d of the casing 100b and grows into a hard lump over the course of time. Therefore, the movement of the temperature sensor 100 in the vertical direction will become hindered and difficult to be executed. As a result, the temperature sensor 100 can not sufficiently contact the bottom surface of the cooking pan, and therefore the temperature of the cooking pan can not be sensed precisely. Further, a lateral force caused by the bottom surface of the cooking pan which is apt to be slid in a lateral direction is added to the top surface 100c of the temperature sensor 100, and a force caused by a spring 100e is added in a vertical direction only to an underneath surface of a liquid box 100f, which contains a liquid that swells as the temperature increases, thereby to sense the temperature. Therefore, a moment of a force is produce in an unpreferable direction that makes the temperature sensor 100 inclined.
Accordingly, the temperature sensor 100 does not fully contact the bottom surface of the cooking pan and the correct temperature can not be sensed.